A Lira-based musician Onyong Yubu alias Prince Yubu, has reportedly faked his own death which he announced on social media.

The 23-year-old gospel artiste yesterday sent a message on different WhatsApp groups saying that he was dead.

“Let’s pray for Prince Yubu, a gospel artiste, who passed on from the hospital. He had severe malaria, died 20 minutes ago,” the message read.

The fake death announcement was immediately shared by his friends. As dozens started pouring their heartfelt condolences to the purportedly bereaved family, some radio presenters in Lira Town doubted Onyong’s death.

This reporter sought out to find the musician whom we found, as suspected, alive. He acknowledged that he was aware of the news that was making rounds on social media but had distanced himself from it as he was recovering from shock.

“I was kidnapped by some people on Wednesday. They tied me using a rope before grabbing my cell phone, which they later used for faking my death,” he said during a phone interview with Daily Monitor.

Onyong, however, says that he did not report the kidnapping to Police

Rolex Patrick Akena Ogwal, an operation manager at a local radio station noted that Onyong is a cunning man who faked his death to gauge his popularity on social media.

“What people don’t know about Prince Yubu is that the guy is a fast thinker. He could have put that thing to gauge people’s perception about him and his popularity,” Ogwal said.

It is not clear if the singer actually sent the death announcement but his close friends say that he is a ‘sharp’ man capable of making up such a lie for self-gain especially since his music career was fading away.

Onyong dismissed these claims saying that he is smart enough to produce good music.

“I have the brain, I have the capability. I don’t see myself disabled, I don’t see myself a weak person,” he said.

Since 2010, Onyong has produced 35 gospel songs with Satan obedo agoba (meaning ‘Satan is a liar’) being the most popular.